Totally, give me goosebumps been listening to it nonstop. You knew UFA would step up to the plate, they had to find the right time and project to unite everyone together. Truly a "We are the World" for Japan!

Just got back home from Raising Hope For Japan, the fundraiser I mentioned in here a while ago.

It was awesome.

We got a lot of support and everyone had a fantastic time. At the event tonight, we raised over $1100!!! This doesn't even count the online donations we received through our donation webpage! I'll follow up here with pics and probably talk more about the event tomorrow/today during Happy Hour.

It's been nearly a year since the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami hit and the nation is still recovering. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake, massive tsunami, and Fukishima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster, killed more than 15,000 people, and left hundreds of thousands homeless.

Tokyo and Tohoku, the epicenter of the disaster, will have a number of services, concerts, and protests marking the one-year anniversary of the triple disaster. A national moment of silence will be held at 2:46 p.m. on Sunday, March 11, the moment the magnitude-9 earthquake struck off the northeast coast.

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MEMORIAL SERVICES:

TOKYO:

*The Japanese government hosts a ceremony March 11 at the National Theater of Japan. More than 1,000 guests, including the emperor and empress, are expected to attend. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will lead the moment of silence at 2:46 p.m. Companies as well as public offices and schools are expected to hang flags at half-mast.

Time: 2:30 p.m.-4:15 p.m., March 11

Venue: National Theater of Japan

*Tokyo Sky Tree, the city’s new landmark communications tower, lights up March 11 in memory of disaster victims. (It will also do so on the 10th to commemorate the Great Tokyo Air Raid 67 years ago.)

*Tokyo-based activist group Peace On Earth holds a gathering featuring concerts, as well as a panel discussion featuring guests including renowned musician Ryuichi Sakamoto and movie director Shunji Iwai to honor victims of the disaster.

Time: 11 a.m.-7 p.m., March 10 and 11

Venue: Hibiya Park

TOHOKU:

*Fukushima prefectural government holds commemorative events at seven locations across the area, vowing to create a “newborn Fukushima.” The events will have a large-screen video link to the central government’s Tokyo memorial service. Later, 10,000 candles will be lit while artists from the area perform.

Time: 11 a.m.-8 p.m., March 11

Venue: Fukushima prefecture office and other six locations

*Iwate prefecture hosts a memorial service jointly with Rikuzentakata, the city that suffered the largest number of victims in the prefecture from the disaster. The two-hour ceremony starts at 2:30 pm and is expected to be attended by 2,400 victim families. The ceremony in Tokyo at the same time will be displayed on a large screen.

Time: 2:30 p.m.-4:30p.m., March 11

Venue: Takata elementary school in the city of Rikuzentakata

*Miyagi prefectural government does not plan to hold a memorial service, but will set up places where people can offer flowers for the victims between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Separately, Miyagi Prefectural Library is staging a special exhibition “Testimony of kizuna (bonds): East Japan Great Earthquake documents,” from February 11 to July 20th 2012. The event aims to describe the disaster, its aftermath and the recovery process through photos and documents donated from across Japan.

*Japan’s public broadcaster NHK hosts “One year from the earthquake, concert for the future” on March 10th. The six-hour event will be broadcast from two venues—one in Fukushima, the other in the Tokyo suburb of Chiba —and feature popular musicians and idol groups including AKB48 and SMAP. NHK will broadcast live from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on its BS premium channel, and from 7:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. on its main broadcast station.

Fukushima

Time: 4 p.m. -6 p.m.

Venue: Sukagawa Shimin Bunka Center

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Chiba

Time: 6p.m.-10 p.m.

Venue: Makuhari Messe

I saw this on ustream so I think these events might be streamed too. Tune in.

March 11, 2012, will celebrate its one year from the Japan Earthquake East. Say with heartfelt sympathy to everyone who is affected, I wish you a day early reconstruction. With Ustream, memorial service and symposia, including a live charity, will be delivered from all over the country. [Special program an earthquake anniversary http://www.ustream.tv/japanquake2011 East 3.11;

Also, has been launched "(sponsored by Japan National Tourism Agency and tourism) Japan. Thank You." Campaign. We will wait for the message of "Thank you", as thanks to the variety of support from around the world. [Japan. Thank You. Action] http://www.ustream.tv/thankyou2012 Decision "delivery" Thank you "from Japan to the rest of the world" special from 9 pm March 11. Do not miss out.

We are extremely proud of everyone's generous donations and support, the Red Cross provided shelter, food, psychosocial support, and many necessities to help rebuild a nation. Here's a snapshot, facts via Red Cross:

Over 2 million registered Red Cross volunteers in Japan 896 Red Cross medical teams and 161,876 volunteers mobilized to support earthquake survivors More than 87,000 patients treated by Japanese Red Cross medical teams 718 Japanese Red Cross psychosocial workers have provided counseling support to 14,039 people More than 126,504 sets of electronic appliances distributed to help over 126,000 families settle into their new home Over 30,000 emergency relief kits distributed to support thousands of families living in evacuation centres 3,500 sleeping kits to provide families with a comfortable place to sleep Water taps in 9 evacuation centres have provided clean drinking water and improved hygiene for over 2,000 people 959 medical beds have been distributed in 161 facilities throughout the 3 most affected prefectures 14, 787 students supported through a Red Cross lunch program in their schools 735 students are enjoying temporary school gymnasiums and playing areas

but they still need our help so do what you can, chip some money to your local Red Cross (http://redcross.org) and related charities. Natural disasters are impossible to predict and affect us all, this tragic event sure served as a reminder of how life is precious and to care and love life and the people who are a part of it.

Director Ridley Scott’s crowdsourced project, in collaboration with Fuji Television Network, invites people in Japan to submit videos of their lives this March 11 as a way to commemorate the event online. Modeled after Scott’s Life in a Day, Japan In A Day is not asking for any specific views about the disaster — rather, it’s seeking the ordinary, everyday activities that people have been doing since, as they rebuild their lives and move forward. Since the film is asking for users to submit videos on March 11, it won’t be available for screening on the exact date of the anniversary. But, it will be available the day after, on March 12. Check out the trailer below:

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“Tsunami Stories”

A project by Voice of America, Tsunami Stories (http://tsunamistories.tumblr.com) is a Tumblr-powered website crowdsourcing content around the web from survivors. With the tagline, “How a nation heals from invisible wounds,” the site looks to find how people affected by the disaster are coping. They can submit pictures, videos, links or text describing their experience. The site just launched on March 8, and the hashtag #tsunamistories is gaining some traction on Twitter to encourage submissions. My favorite post so far is this video of robot seals comforting Japanese elderly:

That's the thing, the traumatic recovery ....grips in the mind, body, and soul. Pray for those and around the world.

The Director Chris Noland is an award-winning videographer, Originally from America, that moved to Japan a year before the earthquake. Chris Noland was a volunteer in the Tsunami Clean-up, food and aid delivery when the disaster happened. He was inspired to make a film about the events when it was clear people were not getting enough help or answers. You can read more about his volunteer efforts on the ImaginePeace website here: http://imaginepeace.com/archives/15129

These little things if each person pitches in, when combined EQUALS GREATNESS!

2012 March 11, 2:46 pm - events were held across the nation of Japan and a moment of silence took place at every venue to remember those who perished during the disaster one year ago, and to show solidarity as the living continue to rebuild their lives.